Kukla's Korner Hockey

When the Sharks acquired center Dominic Moore before the February trade deadline, they hoped the savvy veteran could be a late-season difference-maker. Instead, Moore struggled in San Jose and didn’t even play in the final two games of the Sharks’ first-round playoff loss to St. Louis.

But Tuesday Moore revealed that his family has been dealing with a personal crisis that may have contributed to his lack of production on the ice. In a statement released by the Sharks, Moore said that his wife Katie was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer toward the end of the season and underwent surgery at an undisclosed California hospital in April.

“While it was disappointing to not be able to compete with my Sharks teammates in the playoffs, my wife’s condition and care come first and I want to thank the Sharks organization, my teammates and their families for the love and support that has been shown to Katie and I during this difficult time,” Moore said in a statement. “We continue to pursue the best treatment and care for Katie.”

The statement did not elaborate on the current health of Katie Moore, and a team spokesman said the Moore family will not have any further comment at this time.